The European Handball Federation (EHF) has named the 2025/26 Women’s Team of the Season, featuring a core of talent from Champions League winners Metz Handball. The selection, announced Tuesday, 23 June, reflects a balanced voting system where fans, players, coaches, and media each hold a 25 percent stake in the final outcome. Metz Handball leads the roster with four selections, followed by Györi Audi ETO KC with three and Team Esbjerg with one.
Who made the 2025/26 EHF Women’s Team of the Season?
The EHF selection highlights the dominance of top-tier European clubs in shaping the sport’s current elite tier. According to the official EHF release, the squad features Johanna Bundsen (Metz) as goalkeeper, with Chloé Valentini (Metz), Bruna de Paula (Györi), Henny Reistad (Esbjerg), Dione Housheer (Györi), Lucie Granier (Metz), Sarah Bouktit (Metz), and Kelly Dulfer (Györi) rounding out the positions and defensive honors.
The EHF Excellence Awards utilize a four-pillar voting system. By giving equal weight to fans, players, coaches, and media, the federation aims to balance subjective fan popularity with technical expert analysis.
How does the EHF voting process influence the sport?
The EHF’s decision to split voting power between stakeholders creates a unique metric for success compared to traditional sports awards that rely solely on coaches or journalists. By including the fans, the EHF ensures the awards reflect the growth of handball’s commercial footprint. This methodology mirrors trends in other European sports, such as UEFA’s approach to individual honors, which seeks to boost engagement by involving the global supporter base.
What happens next for the award winners?
The announcement of the Team of the Season serves as the precursor to the EHF’s individual honors. The Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the 2025/26 season will be selected from the eight players named to the Team of the Season. Additionally, the EHF will name the best young player—defined as age 21 or younger—during the EHF Champions League group phase draw on Friday, 26 June.
Comparison: Club Representation
| Club | Number of Players Selected |
|---|---|
| Metz Handball | 4 |
| Györi Audi ETO KC | 3 |
| Team Esbjerg | 1 |
To follow the announcement of the MVP and Best Young Player, monitor the EHF Champions League official channels on 26 June. The draw ceremony traditionally provides the most accurate data on the upcoming season’s competitive structure.
Frequently Asked Questions
How are players nominated for the EHF Excellence Awards?
According to the EHF, six players are nominated for every position based on their performance metrics in both club and national team competitions throughout the season.
Who votes for the EHF Team of the Season?
The voting body consists of four distinct groups: fans, players, coaches, and media representatives. Each group’s collective vote accounts for 25 percent of the total result.
When is the MVP announced?
The EHF has scheduled the MVP and best young player announcement for the EHF Champions League group phase draw on 26 June.
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